by June Francis
‘We have not been introduced,’ she said stiffly, moving away from him.
He followed, gazing intently at the profile presented to him. ‘But we have met and you weren’t so well clad — although even now your clothes look a little the worse for wear.’ A flush darkened her cheeks but she had no intention of satisfying his curiosity. ‘I hazard that it was not a friendly encounter,’ he pressed.
Still she remained silent and tried to walk a little faster, but her muscles refused this time to exert themselves.
‘If you know Clotilde — then you must be a citizen of Caen?’ he questioned. ‘Where have I met you? And how is it that you know my brother?’
Louise could not resist a swift glance and a smile lit his face.
‘Now here’s a mystery. You know my brother. Where did you meet and how?’
‘Calais!’ she said roughly, realising that there was little to be gained by not talking. ‘My sister was taken during a skirmish in the forest a few weeks ago. And I thought your brother was you.’
‘Not so fast.’ His forehead was knit in concentration. ‘You’ve missed a lot out — but let’s leave it for now. Just tell me — my brother realised pretty swiftly your mistake and so he came looking for me?’
She slowed her pace, and her eyes darkened. ‘He said something about my being mistaken, but never told me that he had a brother.’ Her voice was strained when she added, ‘That is the reason, I suppose, why he said he would help me.’
‘Help you? What’s this, boy? Why should you need my brother’s aid?’
‘Because you were party to my sister’s abduction a few weeks ago.’ She scowled. ‘He said he would help me find her but he insisted on coming to Caen first,’ she said fiercely. ‘Now I know why, and also the reason for his not knowing the name of the man who has Marguerite.’
‘Marguerite?’ Realisation flickered in his face. ‘A young girl?’ He returned Louise’s regard without any sign of discomfiture. ‘And John said he would help you?’ A smile twisted his mouth. ‘That’s my brother. He’d help a lame dog jump through a hoop.’
Louise’s expression hardened. ‘I am not a lame dog! Nor do I need your brother’s pity. If you could just tell me the name of the man who took her,’ she rasped.
His brows drew together in a familiar fashion. ‘What good would it do you, lad? Best forget your sister. She’s better off in England than living the way she was.’ He quickened his pace.
She hurried to catch up with him. ‘I don’t believe that is true,’ she said angrily. ‘You must tell me!’
‘Must?’ He shook his head. ‘You might have persuaded John to help you, but I never do anything unless I want to.’
Louise’s temper flared. ‘Have you no conscience, m’sieur! No heart? Think of the child that my sister is, alone in a foreign land. You are all that I called him! A thieving, ravishing abductor!’
His stride faltered and a smile flickered over his face. ‘And what did my brother say to that?’
‘What does it matter what he said?’ she said impatiently.
A laugh escaped him. ‘Sweet Jesu! I would have enjoyed seeing his face when you said all that! Respectable! That’s John! And he never believes in using violence unless there’s no other way. It was the devil’s own work trying to get him to hit back when we were lads. You must have made him really mad.’ He gazed at her with interest.
‘I do not find this situation amusing, m’sieur,’ she said through gritted teeth. ‘Your brother has some virtues, it seems. But it appears that you possess none of them.’
‘Ay! John is a much better man than I,’ he said lightly. They came to the house and his eyes narrowed. ‘How did you know where to find me? Was it Clotilde who sent you to the quai?’
‘No!’ she exclaimed. ‘She had her hands full looking after your brother — so I … just left.’
His eyebrows rose sharply, but he said no more, only opening the door and going inside. She hesitated, before, with a great deal of reluctance, following him.
There was nobody in the room but, as the door dosed behind them, footsteps sounded overhead and several moments later Clotilde came through a door to the rear of the parlour. Warm colour was in her cheeks and her eyes sparkled. She stopped abruptly. ‘Harry! Your brother is here, so there will be no need for you to try and get to England.’
He interrupted her ruthlessly. ‘The lad told me. Where have you put Jack?’
‘The lad?’ Clotilde’s face was suddenly abrim with amusement. ‘You do not know that this … so trim … young man is a girl? Or that she has no liking for you, mon cher? Not only are you English but you knocked her senseless at the Fall.’
Harry turned swiftly to Louise. ‘Does my brother know you are a girl?’ His voice showed a lively interest.
‘Of course,’ she said icily.
His eyes sparkled. ‘His sense of propriety must have found that a challenge. Are you a virgin?’
Louise felt the hot colour run up under her skin and she said fiercely, ‘I suggest, m’sieur, that you keep your nose out of my affairs and go and see your brother!’
He grinned. ‘Now does that mean ay or nay?’ He turned to Clotilde and a nerve twitched near his mouth. ‘Where have you put him?’
She lowered her eyes. ‘I thought you would want him to have the best, mon cher, so I put him in our bed.’ She toyed with the pomander at her waist. ‘His voice so like yours, Harry, and the blue of his eyes. But such bravery — the quick jest even when I knew that I was hurting him. He has many cuts and bruises. Although he was a little hesitant about letting me see the full extent of them.’
Harry swore softly but did not delay any longer. Within seconds they heard his feet on the stairs.
Clotilde turned her attention to Louise, and her smile faded. ‘He said that you saved his life! I would never have believed it of you, my dear friend. You! Who hated the English! But I’m sure you had your reasons … ’ She paused expectantly.
Louise was not only angry but exhausted. ‘May I sit down?’
‘But certainly.’ Clotilde shrugged and sat in the chair vacated by John. Louise took a stool and held out her hands to the fire.
‘He is a finely made man, of course,’ said Clotilde, pushing a great handful of starched veil from her shoulders. ‘I do not blame you for accepting his protection.’
‘I did not seek his protection,’ muttered Louise. ‘I did not know that he knew I was a woman till yesterday. He said that he would help me find Marguerite. Today I have discovered that he never knew where she was but used the information I gave him to come to Caen in search of his brother.’
‘He has explained to me,’ said Clotilde, ‘how he was certain that it was Harry from your reaction to him, and that he had lost touch with him several years ago.’
Louise’s anger flared again. ‘He could have told me about his brother — but he kept me in the dark!’
Compassion flickered across Clotilde’s face. ‘Perhaps he thought that you would not believe him. Even I, who know Harry intimately, marvel at how alike their voices and eyes are. Whether their faces are so alike — ’
‘They are,’ Louise murmured, gazing into the flames, as it struck her anew that he was innocent of the crimes that she had accused him of. ‘He should have told me,’ she muttered.
Clotilde laughed merrily. ‘Does it matter? I cannot get over it — you saving his life. You, who once said that the only good Englishman is a dead one!’
‘I had to save his life,’ she countered defensively. ‘I have explained. But no doubt now he’ll change his mind about taking me to England. His brother is not in favour of it!’ She lifted her eyes to her old friend and was suddenly hesitant. ‘I did not expect to see you here. At the storming — ’
‘I know,’ interrupted Clotilde, frowning. ‘So Harry raped me that day, but at least he allowed no other to touch me, and he did not discard me. Almost two years I have kept house for him, and I think I have made him happy.’ She gnawed at her lower lip a
nd played with her pomander. ‘Although there have been times when I have feared,’ she added slowly, ‘that eventually I will lose him. He longs for England and yesterday he swore that his brother was in danger and that he must find a way to get home.’
‘How strange,’ said Louise in a stilted voice. ‘Master Milburn was in danger.’
‘I know.’ Her mouth trembled. ‘But he is out of danger now, and I am hoping that seeing his brother safe might make Harry settle again. He has tried to leave before, saying he will return, but I don’t know if I believe him. Fortunately it is not easy for him to go. Their king has made it difficult — all must have passports, and none can leave without his licence, which is hard to obtain.’
‘But you believe that he will try?’ said Louise softly.
She was silent, tapping a dainty red-leather-clad foot on the rush strewn floor. Her lips firmed. ‘Yes,’ she said quietly. ‘But I would find a way to stop him.’
They stared at each other. Then Clotilde laughed unexpectedly, tilted her head on one side and scrutinised Louise’s appearance. ‘You must tell me what has been happening to you. And I must find you some clothes.’ She hummed a light air, and, getting up, she went over to a great oak chest near the far whitewashed wall.
Louise did not follow her. Almost asleep, she gazed into the fire, picturing Clotilde’s face as she talked of Master Milburn’s brother, and in that moment she vowed never to care for a man so much that she could not face life without him. Annoyingly John came into her thoughts, only for her to angrily dismiss him. The sooner he was out of her life the better!
CHAPTER FIVE
JOHN was sitting on a four-poster bed, fastening up one of Harry’s doublets, when the door opened. He looked up quickly, and relief lightened his damaged features as his brother entered. For a moment neither of them spoke. Then Harry swore softly under his breath before moving swiftly over to the bed. ‘I knew something had happened to you. That youth, or maid, who found me at the quai … ’ he gave his brother a searching look ‘ … hinted at you being in something of a mess.’ He clapped him on the shoulders.
John winced. ‘Go easy, brother.’ His voice was rough.
‘Sorry.’ Harry grimaced. ‘What happened?’
John told him his story from the moment he had met Louise in Calais, omitting certain happenings. ‘It’s been a long search.’ He surveyed Harry keenly. ‘I was borrowing some of your clothes — your arms are still shorter than mine, brother — to end it. That wench of yours said something about your trying to get a ship to England.’
A rueful smile twisted Harry’s face. ‘Not so easy as you would think. You wouldn’t believe the stranglehold that the King has over Normandy. He doesn’t want anybody deserting the great cause.’
‘That bad?’ John frowned. ‘How did you go over to his side in the first place? I know our family have always had links with the Lancasters but when this Henry’s father killed King Richard it changed things somewhat.’
‘It’s a long story,’ said Henry in clipped tones. ‘How have things been with you? How’s dear Dorothy and my godson?’
‘Dear Dorothy is well as far as I know. I am seldom in England.’ John’s voice lacked emotion. ‘As for Peter, he is apprenticed to a wool merchant in Burford. I did not consider it fair to remove him from his mother’s care completely.’
A muscle throbbed in Harry’s neck. ‘Have you heard any news of Dykemore in the last year?’
‘I have seen him but once in the last eighteen months or so, and that was in Burford when I was there on business, and he was in Dorothy’s company.’ His face darkened. ‘He would still interfere in my affairs, and is still active in his search for Lollards. But never mind what’s been happening to me! What about you? Five years, it’s been. Mother’s fretted. Even though I have been able to reassure her as to your safety.’ Puffed and bruised blue eyes questioned blue.
‘You still get those feelings too?’ said Harry sharply, wriggling his shoulders. ‘They’re damned uncomfortable.’
‘And inconvenient,’ murmured John. ‘I was in the Baltics when I last knew you in deep trouble two or three years ago and lost a customer or two in my haste to get home.’
Harry perched on the bed, and stared down at his hands. ‘I went to Glyn Dwr. You know well how little love the Welsh have for Henry of Lancaster. But Oldcastle was there and it was the same thing all over again. Get rid of the Usurper — put the rightful heir on the throne. And what was the outcome this time but betrayal by the heir himself? March just doesn’t have the stomach for a fight to gain what’s rightfully his.’ He laughed bitterly. ‘Grey and Scrope lost their heads. I tell you, John, that it was then that I wondered why I was involved in it all!’
‘So you went over to Henry of Lancaster’s side?’
Harry shook his head. ‘Not immediately. I suppose it was when the news of his victory at Agincourt reached us that I began to have doubts about risking my life for a cause I was no longer certain would win the day. It really seemed that God was on Henry’s side. It was like a miracle when he beat the French — David against Goliath! Of course since then I’ve learnt a few things about that battle, and it appears that half the French just drowned in mud. Too heavily armed and too many of them to manoeuvre properly in terrible weather conditions. But going back — I stuck it out in Wales for a while — then Oldcastle was captured and several of us with him.’
John’s mouth tightened. ‘So that was what happened to you. It was bad.’
‘They roasted Oldcastle alive.’ Harry’s voice was expressionless but his eyes were stormy. ‘And I had a visit from Dykemore.’ John’s head jerked back but he said nothing, waiting for his brother to continue. ‘He brought along the good friar Nester, because, as you know … he can cause such exquisite pain with hot pincers.’
A muscle twitched in John’s neck. ‘What happened?’
‘Fortunately the King was short of men for his wars. We prisoners were offered a free pardon if we joined Henry’s host. I was a fair archer — so I told the sergeant. And somehow I managed to prove it to him, despite these!’ He held up his hand and John saw now the couple of scarred fingers with the nails removed. ‘I had to recant, of course,’ continued Harry in a light tone, not looking at John, ‘and no doubt the good friar was disappointed, as was our friend Dykemore. They doubted my sincerity, as well they might. But the sergeant had no interest in doctrine and religious squabbles and so he won the day.’
He laughed. ‘Sweet Jesu, if only I’d known what I was in for. The King is so determined to have his own way, and is utterly ruthless. Yet the men love him. He’s a damn good soldier, although they made no mistake when they called Henry the Prince of Priests. He sets up altars wherever he conquers and it’s believed that he’s taken a vow of chastity — that he won’t sleep with a woman until he weds the princess Catherine.’
John smiled grimly. ‘I made a similar vow, which is ended now I’ve found you.’
Harry cast him a quick look. ‘So that girl downstairs’
‘I have not taken her. She could be a virgin.’ He smiled slightly. ‘She remembers you from Caen.’
‘I know that now.’ Harry rested his head against the bedpost and closed his eyes. ‘I still smell and hear the horror of that day sometimes. The gutters ran with blood, but at the time I didn’t take it in. It was as if it were happening to someone else. The French burnt one of our men to death, almost in front of me, smothering him with burning straw. You know how I feel about the flames. That made me really mad so that I had no mind for mercy when we entered the city. I led the way with a man called Ingles and took his name afterwards. My bravery was noted and I was awarded a house in the city.’ He smiled wryly. ‘I had gathered a few treasures here and there, so I applied myself to being a clothier. It’s strange, isn’t it? I didn’t want to be involved in the trade at all when it was what father wanted, but now I find I like living in a town rather than on the manor. Still … ’ He was silent a moment before adding, ‘How are
Mother and Father?’
‘Wishing you would come home. Five years is a long time to not know where your son is.’
Harry nodded, and his chin quivered slightly. ‘I wanted to go home, John. Often!’ he said unevenly. ‘But after Father and I quarrelled — ’
John interrupted ruthlessly. ‘That is the past! Mother and Father would be overjoyed to see you. I await the Grace’s coming. You can sail with us.’
Harry was silent a moment, then said slowly, ‘It won’t be easy. All ships are checked and my face is known.’ He stared at his brother. ‘It’s fortunate that at the moment you don’t look like me. Otherwise you might have trouble. I tried today to get passage on a ship going to York, but without permission from the King’s officials it’s going to be difficult.’
‘Perhaps not as difficult as you think,’ said John softly. ‘I find it useful to travel under more than one name at times. I have several sets of papers.’
Harry’s expression relaxed slightly. ‘It might work.’ He paused. ‘What of the lass below? Do you really intend taking her to England?’ There was a note in his voice that caused John to frown.
‘If it weren’t for Mam’selle Saulnier I might never have found you,’ he rasped. ‘She saved my life and I gave her my promise.’
Harry’s eyes narrowed and he tapped a nail against his teeth. ‘To find this sister of your wench, you would have to go to Kent.’
‘Where?’
‘I’ve sent her to Wat Fuller and his missus. They lost their daughter and were bemoaning their lack when last I was there. You know how they need every pair of hands they can get.’
John started. ‘If you’d been caught, Dykemore would have found some excuse to have you strung up and to light a fire to toast your toes. Accept that Cobtree was the price Father had to pay for our freedom. We have lost that manor for good.’
Harry’s eyes sparked. ‘I don’t know how you can talk like that. You always held Cobtree dear. It was your favourite place. And even I was content there.’
‘You didn’t act contented.’ A slight laugh escaped John. ‘You turned him down and got caught up in some wild venture.’